


A Much Needed Talk

by CaraLea



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 10:11:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21492625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaraLea/pseuds/CaraLea
Summary: After arriving at Atlas, the team needs to settle in, and Blake and Yang need to talk.  But what Blake wants to talk about isn't quiet what Yang expected.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 2
Kudos: 180





	A Much Needed Talk

Yang shivered against the chilly air. It was warmer here in the city than out in the open tundra, but they didn’t call Atlas the coldest city for no reason. And down in Mantle where the technology was less refined and the floating city above blocked out the natural sunlight it was even colder.

Having made it to Atlas was an important step for them all. Of course with this came the many questions. Were they doing the right thing not telling Ironwood about Ozpin’s  _ many _ lies? What were they going to do now that they had made it this far? Did they really want to continue this hopeless mission against Salem?

All of that and more weighed on every team-member’s mind as they  _ tried _ to settle at Atlas Academy. It was an alien world, especially to Yang. Her family wasn’t  _ destitute _ , but they certainly hadn’t been rich. Every cent their father earned as first a Huntsman and later a Professor went into his daughters’ educations. Beacon was a school for budding prodigies, and anybody who wanted to eventually get their Huntsman license was destined to train there. That said, it wasn’t a school for the cheap. You had to have money to attend Beacon, either through financial wellbeing or the numerous scholarships offered by the State.

Until she traveled to find Ruby, she had only ever been to those two places: home and school. Beacon was by far the fanciest place she’d been. When she’d gotten to Haven, she’d been in awe over the gorgeous architecture. She could still remember sitting on that balcony next to Ruby and Weiss, watching the sun rise.

_ “I can’t believe we’re really in Mistral.” _

“That’s _ what you can’t believe?” _

She’d been angry then. Never in her life had she snapped so hard at someone she cared about the way she’d done Weiss that morning. Blake hadn’t been there then, and although Yang wouldn’t admit it back then, her biggest fear had been she’d never see the Faunus girl again.

_ But Blake’s here now. _

The two of them were walking down the main street in Mantle, having escaped Weiss and Ruby for long enough to find their way into the city. It was a good thing. Weiss had so much on her plate that she needed a day out with her best friend to relax. It had to be hard returning to her home city after just narrowly escaping.

Which meant that Blake and Yang had the afternoon to themselves. Yang still couldn’t get over Blake’s new haircut. She felt like such an idiot, the way she openly stared at the chopped ends. And yet she couldn’t  _ stop _ herself from staring. It was so stupid! Once upon a time, she’d had no problems dealing with crushes and good looks and all the stuff that was  _ fun _ about being hot. She’d once flirted with Blake too. She’d even winked at her.

Now she gaped like a moron whenever Blake wasn’t looking, and stuttered a lot whenever Blake  _ was. _ How had it been so easy before?

With the future in mind and the past well behind them, Blake and Yang really needed this time together to just, well, talk. There were so many things to talk about. For instance, Yang wanted to talk about the way her heart pounded when she and Blake touched by accident, or to talk about the fact that Blake looked really  _ really _ good with short hair. Or maybe they could talk about the future and if they wanted to stay in Atlas for long. Or maybe they could talk about Adam and whether Blake was ready to move on from him yet.

That was what Yang was waiting for, she told herself. After all they’d been through, it only made sense that Blake would need some time to get over what Adam had put her through. It wouldn’t be fair of Yang to get her panties in a bunch over a girl who clearly still needed space. What kind of friend would that make her? Not a very good one.

But Blake never talked about it, and that made it really hard for Yang to know when to bring up all that other stuff. How was she supposed to ask if Blake ever wanted kids when she couldn’t even ask if Blake she was okay with what had happened and was ready to find someone else?

So they walked in a comfortable silence; well, as comfortable as they could in Atlas. It was clear the city was taking its toll on Blake, even if the Faunus girl didn’t want to admit it out loud. They passed shop after shop with different sales going on. There was a bike shop up ahead, and Yang paused.

“Uh, why don’t we look at bikes?” she asked Blake cheerfully.

Blake shrugged. “Okay then.” Yang knew not to take offense at her partner’s nonchalance. That was just Blake’s energy.

The two of them walked into the shop. Of course there were so many shiny,  _ gorgeous _ bikes around the showroom. Yang didn’t know where to start.

“Let’s check out that one!” Yang said, pointing to an updated model of her old bumblebee. She was about to race off to see it when she realized Blake had frozen. Her partner’s discomfort trilled through the air like an electric shock, pulling Yang up short. She turned, first seeing Blake standing with her ears flattened in embarrassment, then realizing the cause of it. Across the desk from them was a shopkeep, his eyes narrowed as he glared at Blake.

The tension in the room was palpable. It was like an evil staring contest as both shopkeep and Blake sized the other up. Finally he opened his mouth to say something. So unwise.

“Shouldn’t you be in a mine accident or something?”

Blake looked like she was about to say something, but before she even had a chance, Yang had stepped forward. It wasn’t that she didn’t think her partner could take care of herself; Yang’s anger was tangible. She could feel it rearing its ugly head.  _ Nobody _ talked to her partner that way.

“What did you say?” she demanded, eyes simmering red, staring the shopkeep down.

The man immediately put his hands up, sighing with distaste. “I said nothing, miss,” he said, raising his hands placatingly. “Why don’t you have a look around, both of you?”

“That’s what I thought,” Yang muttered. She didn’t particularly want anything this man had to offer anymore, but just to get on his nerves she whirled, slowly stepping between the bikes. She let her hand come up, running her fingers against the cool rubber of the accelerator. In a flash she pulled her leg up and saddled the bike, enjoying the feel of the metal between her knees.

“I could get used to riding this,” she said. Then she stopped, looking up to see Blake standing in front of the bike. The faunus’s ears were still down, a blush on her cheeks. Her partner couldn’t quite meet her eyes.

“Hey,” she asked gently. “Are you okay?”

For a moment Blake didn’t answer. Yang knew that her partner was collecting her thoughts before she was going to speak. That’s kind of how Blake rolled. One hand came up to meet the other arm in a gesture that was so innocent, so embarrassed. Yang could  _ feel  _ the awkward tension building in her partner. Her own heart pounded as she waited patiently.

Finally, Blake spoke. “Actually, I’ve been really wanting to tell you something,” Blake said. She gave a small laugh as she continued. “I’ve been wanting to say this for a while actually, I just...I could never find the right time. And we always seemed to be so busy I just...never found the chance I guess.” Yang’s heart had stopped in her chest. Blake never sounded this nervous, not even after she’d returned from running away.

“Yeah,” Yang said, not sure what else to say. “I mean I’m listening.”

Was this it? Were they finally gonna talk about the goliath in the room now? Blake took a deep breath in, then slowly let it out. After a moment, she looked up, eyes meeting Yang’s and she could see the vulnerability that she felt there.

“I cheated.”

Whatever Yang had been expecting, that was  _ certainly _ not it. Her mind went completely blank as she simply didn’t know how to respond. Her mouth opened, and then closed again, but not a sound escaped her. Instead she just found herself staring at her partner, willing her to explain.

Blake noticed Yang’s reaction and her face flushed. “Back at school, in the Emerald Forest. I cheated on our  _ initiation _ no less!”

Oh. Initiation. That had been the  _ last _ thing on Yang’s mind.

“We were supposed to be partnered with the first person we saw,” Blake went on. “But I just...I don’t know. I wanted a partner I knew I could trust and- ” She stopped, her face turning a deeper shade of red than Yang thought possible. “I didn’t go with the first person I saw. Thankfully he didn’t see me. I just wandered the forest until I found somebody I wanted as a partner and- ” She cut off again, so Yang finished for her.

“And you chose me.”

“Yeah,” Blake admitted guiltily, glancing at Yang’s eyes again before abruptly looking back at the floor.

There was something important here, Yang could sense it. Blake would not be telling her this lightly. She said she’d wanted to say something for a while. But why now? What was it she really wanted to say.

“Why?” Yang asked, curious. “Why me?”

Blake looked back up again, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “It was something about the way you took on those Ursai. You faced them head on. Like you weren’t even scared. And when we first met, you approached me without any nerves or…” Blake looked at her then. “Even the way you fight you just...plow through it. Nothing gets you down which is just so...unlike me. I guess.”

Yang was starting to understand. There was a draw between them, something that pulled them together even though they were opposites. It had intrigued Yang before. She had watched her partner grow and face so many issues that before she had strictly avoided. That was why their partnership worked so well in the field. Something powerful, something strong that Yang had not put words to until just recently tugged the two together; like it was fate they were meant to be partners. Had Blake felt that from the very beginning?

The implications of what Blake was saying were very strong. Blake  _ chose _ Yang; it wasn’t fate that they were together now. Had Blake chosen differently, Yang might not be here, in Atlas. She could’ve still had her arm.

That must have been what Blake was thinking, because the faunus girl was looking at Yang’s arm almost miserably. She’d never shied away from Yang’s fake limb. It was one of the things that Yang liked the most about where their feelings were now. But that didn’t necessarily mean Blake wasn’t blaming herself still.

“For what it’s worth,” Yang interrupted the faunus’s thoughts. “I’m pretty glad that you chose me.”  _ Idiot _ . She couldn’t stop the blush from creeping into her cheeks.

Blake was blushing still, too. “Really?”

“Of course,” Yang said, getting to her feet. She wanted to say something witty, something that would make Blake smile or giggle again. Anything to draw closer to her partner. But what came out was a very serious, “You’re a pretty good partner, Blake.”

The tension was palpable again. “Thanks,” Blake murmured, pointing her eyes at the floor again in embarrassment.  _ No. _ Yang thought.  _ Look at me… _

But she didn’t grab the faunus’s chin and lift it like she wanted to. Already she could feel the moment slipping away. That tension was turning from something beautiful and breathtaking to straight up awkward. Finally, Yang had to admit it was time to change the subject.

“So who would you have been partners with?” she asked nonchalantly. Blake looked up again, ears twitching as she registered what Yang had asked.

The faunus winced. “Cardin Winchester.”

“ _ Oof _ !” Yang grunted in sympathy. “I do not blame you for ditching him.”

Nothing of what Yang had wanted to say had been said. They had not discussed the future, or talked about their feelings, or any of that. And yet, Yang felt like something monumental had just passed between them. As they left the frustrated shop owner in the dust, she couldn’t help but just enjoy her partner’s smile. Staring again, like an idiot.


End file.
